It’s an entertaining book, and I learned a lot about my native city. Note that it was written in the late sixties, however, and the author’s tone when mentioning race is not always what we would consider respectful now. A few passages made me cringe and hope that nobody was reading over my shoulder on the subway. But it’s definitely worth a few winces, if you’re curious about how New York City came to be the way it is.

Rich with details and anecdotes. A must read if you have any interest in NYC history.